Rhamphothrips bhattii, Tyagi, Kaomud & Kumar, Vikas, 2013

Tyagi, Kaomud & Kumar, Vikas, 2013, The genus Rhamphothrips in India (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3745 (4), pp. 491-495 : 492-495

Rhamphothrips bhattii sp. n.

( Figs. 1–11 )

Male (macroptera). Bicoloured species, body yellow including legs, except dark brown abdominal segments X and distal 1/3 of IX. Antennal segments I–V yellow, VI yellow in basal 0.75 and brown in apical 0.25, VII and VIII very light brown but in three specimens antenna completely yellow or very light tinge on antennal segment VI– VIII. Fore wing pale. Head small with 3 pairs of ocellar setae, ocellar setae III placed within ocellar triangle, on anterior margin of hind ocelli ( Fig. 1 ). Two pairs of postocular setae present. Mouth cone reaching to fore coxae ( Fig. 8 ). Pronotum longer than broad, with weak transverse lines near anterior and posterior margins; posterior margin with 5 pairs of setae and one pair of prominent posteroangular seta ( Fig.1 ). Mesonotum with median pair of setae far ahead of posterior margin, one pair of thin seta laterally; anterior campaniform sensilla present ( Fig. 4 ). Metanotum with median pair of setae far behind to anterior margin; median surface with irregular longitudinal reticulation but striate laterally; campaniform sensilla present ( Fig.4 ). Fore tibia with one apical tooth and 3 or 4 small tubercles on inner surface ( Fig. 8 ). Fore femur enlarged without tooth; mid tibia with one seta at apex; hind tibia with 3 stout setae at apex ( Figs 6, 7 ). Fore wing slender; costa with 25 setae, upper vein with 7 proximal and 3 distal setae; second vein with widely spaced 4 setae; clavus with 5 veinal and one discal seta. Prosternum basantra weakly sclerotized; ferna curved forward medially. Mesothoracic sternopleural sutures present. Meso- and metasternum without spinula ( Fig. 3 ). Abdominal tergite I completely sculptured with transverse anastomosing lines ( Fig. 9 ). Abdominal tergites II–VI smooth, VII and VIII medially with barely visible lines; craspedum absent on tergite I, present on tergites II and IV but without any teeth; V and VI with prominent teeth, VIII with teeth only on sides ( Fig. 2 ). Tergites I–VIII with one pair of campaniform sensilla. Tergite IX with median setae wide apart; tergite X with median split almost complete. Abdominal sternites II–VIII with craspedum; without pore plate or discal setae; hypomere not dilated subapically ( Fig. 10 ).

Measurements (Holotype male in microns). Body length 1239. Head length 54; width across eyes 103; width across cheeks 105; ventral length to tip of mouth cone 189. Pronotum, length 220; maximum width 156; posteroangular major seta 22. Fore wing length 612. Antenna length 255; antennal segments L (W): I 15 (24); II 37 (19); III 45 (14); IV 42 (15); V 37 (13); VI 43 (13); VII 9 (4); VIII 10 (3). Fore coxal length 132; fore femur width 98; hind tibia length 139.

Female (macroptera). Colour and size similar to male except pronotum 5 times longer than head and long mouth cone reaching to prospinasternum; mid tibia with one seta at apex; ( Figs5, 11 ). Abdominal sternite VII with S1 and S2 setae longer than distance between their bases.

Measurements (Paratype female in microns). Body length 1283. Head length 41; width across eyes100; width across cheeks 98; ventral length to tip of mouth cone 213. Pronotum, length 211; maximum width 162; posteroangular major seta 22. Forewing length 612. Fore femur width 84.

Material studied. Holotype male (macroptera), INDIA, West Bengal, Mursidabad, from flowers and leaves of Tabernaemontana divaricata , 13.iii.2012, Biswaroop (Registration No. 5127/H-17). Paratypes: same data as holotype, 3 females, 1 male (Registration No. 5128/H-17 to 5131/H-17); Odisha, Gopalpur, 4 females, 4 males, from flowers and leaves of Tabernaemontana divaricata , 15.iii.2013, Biswatosh Ghosh (Registration No. 5132/H- 17 to 5139/H-17). Holotype and paratypes are deposited in the National Zoological Collections (NZC), Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India.

Etymology. The name of this new species is in honour of Dr. J. S. Bhatti for his excellent efforts on taxonomy of Indian thrips.

Comments. This new species differs from all other members in the genus, apart from R. santokhi , in being clearly bicoloured, and it was compared with a paratype specimen of that species (Registration No. 5097/H-17). It can be differentiated by the pale abdominal segments V–VIII and basal 0.75 of segment IX; fore wing without brown cross band; fore tibia with one strong tooth; pronotum five times as long as head in male and four times in female. In santokhi these character states are: abdominal segments V–X brown; fore wing with one brown cross band; fore tibia with two teeth; pronotum 3.5 times as long as head in male and three times in female.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to our Director Dr. K. Venkataraman, Director, Zoological Survey of India for his encouragement and moral support and providing necessary facilities. We thank the editor and two referees for comments to improve the manuscript. This study is financially supported by the SERB, Department of Science & Technology through DST Young Scientist Project entitled “Molecular Systematics and Phylogeny of Economically Important Thrips ( Thysanoptera : Insecta) of India ” (SR/FT/LS-24/2012), to the first author.

References

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Bhatti, J.S. (1978) Studies in the systematics of Rhamphothrips. Oriental Insects, 12 (3), 281–303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00305316.1978.10432090

Bhatti, J.S. (1990) Catalogue of Insects of the Order Terebrantia from the Indian Subregion. Zoology, 2 (4), 205–352.

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Thrips Wiki (2013) Thrips Wiki - providing information on the World's thrips. Available from: http://thrips.info/wiki/Main_Page (Accessed 17 November 2013)

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Rhamphothrips bhattii. (1) Head and pronotum, male; (2) Tergites V-VIII, male; (3) Thoracic sterna, male; (4) Meso- and metanota, male.

FIGURES 5 – 11. Rhamphothrips bhattii. (5) Prosternum with fore legs, female; (6) Mid leg, male; (7) Hind leg, male; (8) Fore leg, male; (9) Tergite 1, male; (10) Genitalia, male; (11) Hind leg, female.